The 10,000 ft altimeter check is a throw back to the days of 3 pointer altimeters which were easy to misread by 10,000 ft
Not quite how I understand it. The calls at 10 & 20k (ie not 30 or 40 (or 50 & 60 in one type)) are an altimeter setting check, to make sure you have set 1013 on them after passing TA. Obviously in europe the 20k check is a bit superflous as Trans alt is always under 10K (I think ) but it is useful in the States where TA can be 18k - and as mentioned elsewhere Big Airways like to have the same SOP's across fleets wherever possible.